Blow to Hammond as May back-pedals on tax

Philip Hammond boasted that he would not “shirk difficult decisions”TIMES NEWSPAPERS

Theresa May put the brakes on a controversial tax rise for 1.6 million self-employed workers last night in the face of a Tory rebellion.

The prime minister said that legislation to increase national insurance contributions (NICs) will not be put before the Commons until the autumn and left the door open to concessions only a day after the measure was announced in the budget.

Mrs May insisted that she supported moves to reduce the “unfair” tax advantages of being self-employed but the pause is an embarrassment for Philip Hammond, the chancellor, who had boasted of his willingness not to “shirk difficult decisions on tax”.

The government had been accused of breaking a manifesto pledge not to raise taxes by unveiling a £2 billion tax raid…